Address of Pope Francis to the Superiors general

Although the speech of Pope Francis to the participants in the Plenary Assembly of U.I.S.G was addressed to the General Superiors, his words highlighted important elements of Consecrated Life, in general, and can be used for us for meditation and sharing about our commitment to our vows, our service and how we live ecclesiality. Click on the link below to read full text.

Address of Pope Francis to the participants in the Plenary Assembly of the International Union of Superiors General (I.U.S.G.)

Jesus, at the Last Supper, turns to the Apostles with these words: “You did not choose me, but I chose you” (Jn 15:16). They remind us all, not only us who are priests, that vocation is always an initiative of God. It is Christ who called you to follow him in the consecrated life and this means continuously making an “exodus” from yourselves in order to centre your life on Christ and on his Gospel, on the will of God, laying aside your own plans, in order to say with St Paul: “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” (Gal 2:20). This “exodus” from ourselves means setting out on a path of adoration and service. The exodus leads us on a journey of adoring the Lord and of serving him in our brothers and sisters. To adore and to serve: two attitudes that cannot be separated, but must always go hand in hand. To adore the Lord and to serve others, keeping nothing for oneself: this is the “self-emptying” of whoever exercises authority. May you live and always remember the centrality of Christ, the evangelical identity of the consecrated life. Help your communities to live the “exodus” from the self on a journey of adoration and service, above all through the three pillars of your life.